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History of the city. A rich history of over 1000 years, through which the city has changed hand several times . . The first defensive fortress was built during the reign of Stephen I of Hungary, around the 10 th century
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A rich history of over 1000 years, through which the city has changed hand several times. • The first defensive fortress was built during the reign of Stephen I of Hungary, around the 10th century • His wife, the Bavarian princess, Gisela of Hungary brought some German colonists who were settled at the Northern periphery of the city, called Villa Zotmar. • The fortress was built on an island of the Somes river, and was linked to the main roads by three bridges. • It was destroyed several times • The first attacks were in 1242, during the first Mongolian invasion by the Tartars
Stephen V of Hungary Bela IV of Hungary • In 1247, Satu Mare becomes the residence of Stephen V of Hungary, who, with his father’s permission takes control over the eastern part of the kingdom. • This way, the city gets equal privileges with the old capital, Szekesfehervar.
In 1411, Satu Mare was given by Sigismund of Luxembourg as a fief to the Serbian despot George Brancovici, in change for Belgrad. • In 1460 it becomes a royal city again. • During Ottoman occupation, the city was led by the Principality of Transylvania. Sigismund of Luxembourg
Then the Habsburgs besieged it, leading the fleeing Transylvanian armies to set it on fire. • The Austrian general Lazar Schwendi ordered the citadel to be rebuilt after the plans of Italian architect OttavioBaldigara • In the Middle Ages, Satu Mare and Mintiu were two distinct entities, but between 1712 and 1715 the two gradually united their administration. • 1721, Emperor Charles VI recognised the union, at the same time granting Satu Mare the status of royal free city. • A decade earlier, the Treaty of Szatmár was signed in the city, ending Rákóczi's War for Independence
Beginning with the 19th century, Satu Mare began its transportation and commerce development • First industrial concerns opened in the county, factories like Unio, Princz etc. • In April 15, 1919, after the collapse in Austro-Hungary, SatuMare officially ceased to be part of Hungary becoming part of the Romania • In 1940, the Second Vienna Award gave back Northern Transylvania, including SatuMare • After 1945, the city became again part of Romania